Do I still need to calibrate my noise measurement instruments during the Covid-19 lockdown?
这是英国共同锁定的第四周，尽管目前有几个组织正在冬眠，但还有许多其他组织仍在继续尽可能正常运作，而在关键部门中，他们像士兵一样工作以保持该国的前进。当事情恢复正常时，许多企业开始计划，其中许多企业问我们：“在锁定期间，我仍然需要对我的乐器进行校准？”。
简短的答案是：这取决于。
如果仍然有人进入工作场所怎么办？
Although it’s probably quite far down people’s lists of priorities, it’s incredibly important to remember that health and safety legislation is still in place. Whether it’s manual handling procedures or controlling noise at work, employers are still obligated to keep their employees safe from workplace health risks.
如果您有幸仍然与您的业务中的人一起运作，那么您可能已经进行了噪音评估，因此您不太可能需要进行新的调查。但是，如果您与一个较小的团队合作，他们的工作量也会增加，这也有可能增加，这意味着噪音水平也可能增加。如果是这样，最好进行新的调查，以确保您的员工得到适当的保护。
为了保护人们免受过度的噪音，需要使用正确的设备来测量和监视噪声水平，并且设备需要准确可靠。为了使设备在法律眼中被认为是准确和可靠的，需要由专业团队对其进行校准。
根据对工作条例中噪声的控制，2005年：
Using the standard verification procedures, meters and sound calibrators
健康与安全主管（2005年）The Control of Noise At Work Regulations 2005pp.97.Available at:https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l108.pdf(accessed on 16/04/20)
must be tested at least every two years and after any repair likely to affect the performance, to ensure they still meet the standards.
The verification procedures are outlined in the standards that acoustic measurement equipment is manufactured to.
It’s considered best practice to have acoustic measurement equipment calibrated annually, as it makes certain the reliability of your instruments. It also extends the warranty for your Cirrus Research instruments, so long as your equipment is sent back to our calibration lab, or that of one of our recognised service centres.
What if there’s nobody in my workplace at the moment?
与必须具有有效MOT证书的汽车不同，即使不使用它，法律不需要执行操作的噪声测量设备具有最新的校准证书。BOB体育下载界面只有当您将其用于进行噪声调查的目的时，是否有法律要求在HSE法规下正确校准。
So, if you’re not currently working but have received a reminder from us or your equipment supplier telling you that your calibration certificate is about to expire, don’t panic. Your instruments won’t fall apart; you’re not going to receive a fine.
我们建议，如果您的乐器是due for calibration within the next couple of months, you book them in with us as soon as you can. We imagine that once the lockdown has been lifted, people will want to get back to normality as quickly as possible, so there will be a high demand in our service centre and calibration lab.
We want you to have your equipment ready to go for when things return to normal, so beating the rush that’s likely to come is a good way of ensuring you have everything you need in place to protect your people from hearing damage.
What are my legal obligations?
As mentioned above, so long as your equipment has a valid calibration certificate that covers the period in which you use it to conduct a noise survey, you’re fine and you don’t need to worry.
预算很紧：我该怎么办？
We fully understand that the financial implications of the Covid-19 pandemic are far beyond anything that anyone could have predicted, so you may find getting sign-off for your instruments’ calibration difficult because of financial restrictions imposed by your organisation.
但是，我们正在竭尽所能帮助您克服所面临的挑战。
Cirrus研究在做什么来帮助？
To help alleviate some of the financial pressures you may be facing, we’ll honour your warranty for up to three months if you’re unable to calibrate your instruments by your due date, which should provide you with some breathing room if you’re struggling to get sign-off to have your instruments calibrated now.
We’re also trying to offset the cost of cleaning and sterilising equipment when it’s returned to you, by screening all consignments with a UV sterilisation lamp, both when they arrive and before they’re shipped back to you. Our service and calibration engineers are also handling all equipment while wearing disposable gloves and using isopropyl wipes, to ensure that everything is as clean and sterile as possible.
For now, the Cirrus Research calibration lab and service centre remain open to help you meet your obligations and to keep your noise measurement instruments at peak performance. Of course, as the situation is changing almost daily, this decision is under constant review and any changes will be communicated via the normal channels.
Stay safe and look after yourselves!
Clarke Roberts
He particularly enjoys writing content about product applications, including noise nuisance, occupational noise and environmental noise pollution.
